Nikki Haley beats Trump in first Republican primary

Nikki Haley has won the Republican primary in Washington, D.C., defeating Donald Trump for the first time in the campaign so far.

For the former United Nations ambassador, the victory was symbolic, coming in one of the country’s most Democratic districts where Republicans make up only about 5% of registered voters.

Democrat Joe Biden won the district with 92% of the vote in the 2020 election.

Ms Haley’s victory temporarily halts Mr Trump’s sweep of the Republican Party, although the former president is certain to win hundreds of delegates in this week’s Super Tuesday contests.

Trump won an uncontested D.C. primary during his 2020 reelection bid, but four years ago he trailed far behind Florida Sen. Marco Rubio and former Ohio Gov. John Casey Odd, ranked third.

Ms. Haley held a rally in the nation’s capital on Friday before returning to North Carolina and a string of states holding Super Tuesday primaries.

“Who says there are no Republicans in Washington, D.C., come on,” she joked to more than 100 supporters in a hotel ballroom.

“We’re trying to make sure we touch every hand and talk to everyone we can,” she said.

While Ms. Haley ran as an avowed conservative, she tended to perform better among more moderate and independent-leaning voters.

Despite her early losses, she said she would continue to campaign in at least those races, though she declined to name any primaries she was confident of winning.

After losing last week in her home state of South Carolina, Haley maintained that voters in subsequent districts deserved an alternative to Trump despite his dominance.

This week is “Super Tuesday,” when 16 states will hold primaries in what will be the largest voting day of the year outside of the November general election.

Trump is the clear front-runner, with victories in Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada, the U.S. Virgin Islands, South Carolina and now Missouri and Michigan.